Malloy's Zingers on Chris Matthews' Hardball; GOP Response

March 19, 2013|DAN HAAR, The Hartford Courant

Chris Matthews brought out some of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's best zingers on gun control late Monday, during an interview on MSNBC's Hardball. For Matthews, who shares Malloy's disdain for Republicans in Congress trying to stop strict registration and assault weapons bans, it was more like 'softball.'

And for Malloy, it was a colorful strut across the national stage, never bad for a governor with ambition.

On the NRA and other gun control opponents appealing directly to Republicans with their strategy: "These are real profiles in courage, aren't they?"

On Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, having it out with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., over a weapons ban on Thursday: "They have no shame...It plays well for his constituency and I think he might even believe some of this."

On a Washington Post/ABC News poll that shows only a bare majority of 57 percent of Americans favoring an assault weapons ban: "There's a lot of people in Texas, I guess."

On Tuesday, GOP state Chairman Jerry Labriola responded, saying Malloy's zingers are evidence the governor cares more about media attention than public policy. "Governor Malloy's appearance yesterday on 'Hardball' is more disgraceful proof that there is no issue - no matter how sensitive - that Malloy won't politicize," Labriola's statement said.

Malloy was scheduled to attend a forum on gun violence at the Center for American Progress.